Mother of missing twins back in jail over welfare charges
In this Aug. 22 photo, Patricia Fowler leaves District Judge Anthony L. DeLuca court in Penn Hills after her preliminary hearing was postponed.
These undated photo Illustrations provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children show artist conceptions of what Ivon Fowler, left, and Inisha Fowler, right, may look like currently.
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A Pennsylvania woman charged with collecting more than $50,000 in state welfare benefits on behalf of twin children not seen for a decade has returned to prison.
Patricia Fowler was arraigned Sunday and sent to Allegheny County jail, unable to post $10,000 bond.
Police say Fowler has repeatedly claimed Ivon and Inisha are living out-of-state with friends or relatives. But police say her claims about the twins, who would be about 18 by now, haven’t checked out.
An Allegheny County detective has testified he believes the Penn Hills woman’s twins are dead, though he can’t prove that.
Fowler’s public defender isn’t commenting on the child concealment charges, or the new welfare theft allegations which were filed Wednesday.